Relations between Russia and the EU depend on the implementation of Minsk documents, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said on Monday. By "blocking" the agreements, Kiev prevents the "normalization" of the relations, he said.

"The Minsk agreements are being blocked by Ukraine. Thus,
Ukraine now holds the key to normalization of relations between
Russia and the European Union," Russia's Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the head of Rossiya
Segodnya news agency, Dmitry Kiselyov.

With the EU leaders having failed to agree on automatically
extending Russian sanctions or exerting more pressure on Moscow
as long as the ceasefire is holding, Europe's decision to link
its policy towards Russia to the implementation of the Minsk
agreements is being used by Kiev, Lavrov said.

Sometimes, when one side needs to buy time, a new idea is being
thrown in only to distract the attention from the main issue and
shift the progress, Lavrov explained, adding that he hoped the
idea of European peacekeepers in Ukraine is not yet another
example of such trick.

Moscow has previously criticized Kiev's unilateral invitation of
a police force under the aegis of the EU into eastern Ukraine,
saying the move undermined the Minsk ceasefire agreement because
it wasn’t agreed by the rebel forces.

Russia is ready to hear Kiev's proposals on the matter - if
representatives of the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk
are being involved in discussion, but Ukraine should be able to
explain why such mission could be more effective than the already
operating OSCE monitors, the minister said at a press conference
on Monday.

"There is a progress on keeping the ceasefire," Lavrov
said, adding that still there are areas where the agreements have
not been fully implemented. The area of the Donetsk Airport is
being shelled by Kiev forces, the minister said, citing OSCE
reports.

The so-called Normandy Four will monitor the implementation of
the Minsk documents, according to Lavrov, who said that the
group's ministers - including Russian, German, French and
Ukrainian representatives, have agreed to meet for discussions on
the progress.

At the same time, US is trying to restrain other countries'
relations with Moscow, Lavrov said, adding that such
"demarches" make him question the decisions made by some
US politicians.

"All partners who I meet when paying visits, and my
colleagues who come with visits [to Russia] have come under
pressure either from a US ambassador or some lower rank emissary
from Washington who have traveled to the region with a
warning," Lavrov said in the interview with Rossiya
Segodnya.

"It is obvious to me that Washington does not want to see the
success of the Minsk agreements and overcoming of the crisis in
Russian-European relations, although [US Secretary of State] John
Kerry constantly reassures me of the contrary," he said.

Yemen conflict also needs peaceful solution

Moscow is also disappointed by the actions of an international
coalition, taking part in the military campaign against the
Houthi rebels in Yemen without consulting UN's Security Council,
Lavrov said in the interview on Monday. Saudi Arabia and other
members of the coalition have only sought UN approval after
having launched the operation, meaning that the campaign "has
no internationally legal basis."

Saying the geopolitical balance in the Persian Gulf region
depends on the Yemen crisis, Lavrov said Moscow is very much
worried over the "new deep crack between the Sunnis and
Shiites." Russia has warned against such a confrontation
years ago, but has been criticized for trying to instigate a
conflict.

"But now everyone admits that such dangerous development of
events could be even more dangerous than actions trying to
confront Islam and Christianity," he said, adding that
Moscow is working with its Saudi, Egyptian and other counterparts
calling for a peaceful solution.